5 Controversies of Gustavo Pedro

(CNN Spanish) – Gustavo PedroColombia’s presidential candidate for the historic agreement voted overwhelmingly in the first round this Sunday, confirming his support in the pre – election vote: Got it Just 8,500,000 votes or 40.32% of the total. However, the race for the presidency is not over yet, and as he is now one of the two finalists, his controversies will be further exposed due to his guerrilla past and his administration as mayor of Bogot.

As Pedro does not exceed 50% + 1 according to the constitution, the second round will take place on June 19, facing the runner-up: Rodolfo Hernandez, who Reached Nearly 6,000,000 votes or 28.15%.

With three weeks to go before the second round, the focus is again on Pedro, the controversial left-wing candidate in Colombia, and Hernandez, who received the most votes in the first round. No less controversial.

This is a look at the major controversies surrounding Pedro’s image.

1978-1990: Military combat in M-19 guerrillas

He was a member of Pedro during his youth M-19, A guerrilla group was formed in 1990, but it gave many ideas and led to one The most tragic chapters in the country’s history were the capture of the Palace of Justice in 1985.

Pedro joined the movement on April 19 at the age of 18. Was part of the so-called group The second wave of guerrilla movements In a country developed throughout the region by the impact of the Cuban Revolution in the 1970s.

In 1978, he lived in Djibouti on the outskirts of Bogot, when he read brief documents of the M-19 convention, he said in his book, Pedro one life, many lives. “From a rational point of view, his thesis is very logical and popular: we had to prove the history of the country, the famous soul. Because we lived in the midst of that celebrity, it was easy for us to understand the need for that justice.” Pedro writes about the group’s arguments.

At 21, Pedro was already there Involved In Zibakuira’s politics, he continued his militancy, first as a personality and then as a councilor.

“I was a secret member of the M-19, but I took legal action in Zibagra, even though I was a councilor,” he told her. Said To journalist Kyleine Rujol on her YouTube channel Pundalos in 2021.

Pedro was arrested in 1985 I pass Imprisonment for one and a half years by order of the Military Criminal Justice Organization. He was released in 1987, and in 1990 joined the M-19 Virgilio Barco government in a peace operation.

2013: Garbage crisis in Bogot

In 2011, Pedro won local elections and became mayor of Bogot. His tenure as mayor was mainly remembered for the crisis in garbage collection, which led to his dismissal and subsequent recovery.

Following a disciplinary inquiry into dealing with the crisis, Petro Unsupported By the Attorney General for 15 years to hold a public office in 2013.

In particular, Petro had Plucked Garbage collection in the Colombian capital, Gives out Waste collection system for Bogota Waterway and Sewerage Company. The conversion process in 2012 led to a garbage collection mess in the city, which lasted three days and resulted in significant costs. Considered The “grave mistake” of the then Attorney General, Alejandro Ordones.

But what could be read as “political death” gave Petro Popular trigger The mayor defending himself in Public Square and a crowd filling the Plaza de Bolivar in the center of Bogot left memorable images.

Later, Pedro won international legal victory before the U.S. Court of Human Rights. Who ordered his re-appointment as mayor of Bogot in 2014, This allowed him to assert himself as the leader of the left that had been built to this day.

2018: “PetroVideo”

Congresswoman Paloma Valencia during the debate on the Otrefact scandal in the Colombian Senate in November 2018 Provided Then there was the video of Senator Pedro receiving money and putting it in a bag, which caused a scandal.

The conversation between Pedro and another person is inaudible, but the senator can be seen getting the bills and talking.

Senator Pedro, for his part, Shared His lawyer said in a statement on his Twitter account that the video was an attempt to “defame and disqualify the political administration” of the senator. Examining the video, he said he believed it was taken illegally “by a former ally of Senator Pedro 14 years ago”. Gathering resources “for the maintenance and support of the movement” is an internal activity, he said.

“This does not apply to any act of corruption or extortion of money from contractors or from any businessman interested in public decisions,” the lawyer said.

2022: Controversy over vote sales

March 12, 2022, one day ago Assembly elections and internal consultations Two months before these first rounds for the presidency in Colombia, Pedro made a controversial appeal to voters through his social networks.

“If they’re going to get money from buyers through all the networks you have, they do, but ask people to vote for Petro and the deal.” Said On his Twitter account. “It’s time for a change.”

This is not the first or last time Petro and his campaign have condemned vote-buying by other politicians, but, as in that tweet, they did so by urging people to accept the money and vote for the historic agreement. , Which was seen by some as an incitement to crime.

“Dr. Pedro, do not encourage driving, do not incite crime, one day justice will lose the fear of you.” Said In March, former President Alvaro Eurob took to Twitter.

Colombian Interior Minister Daniel Palacios, Said On Twitter, he said, “The message of a presidential candidate is to ask citizens not to lend money to buy votes, instead of encouraging them.”

2022: “Social Forgiveness” Attempt

Pedro has mentioned it many times “Social Forgiveness”A general apology scheme that created controversy and surprise and, above all, confusion.

Pedro defined a general amnesty for offenders on the basis of “truth and compensation for the victims by certain means” and would take place in the context of “two centuries of permanent wars” in Colombia.

But beyond the proposal, Pedro’s “social pardon” has generated great controversy since the beginning of April. Colombian media It was revealed that the candidate’s brother, Juan Fernando Pedro, had met with former Senator Evan Moreno. Corruption.

Petro Promised That his brother did not participate in his campaign and that the meeting took place independently. “I did not send anyone to talk to Ivan Moreno. They are prisoners who have been asked to speak with the Interim Commission for Justice and Peace. It did not even reach my mind, ”he said on his Twitter account. Twitter.

Some of his rivals in the election quickly linked “social forgiveness” with this meeting.

“Your ex-partners and political bosses (who are in jail today are x corrupt [sic]), They have agreed with you that you have the evidence to grant them such a “social apology” in exchange for votes. The country already knows Said On his Twitter account Federico Gutiérrez, Colombia’s presidential candidate for the Colombian Alliance.

“Social Forgiveness? Corruption Voters Have No Tolerance”, Said Sergio Fazardo, in the May 29 election, was fourth for the Centro Esperanza coalition.

Petro refused to use “social amnesty” for political gain, Protecting He said he would go to court to defend himself and provided further details about his plan from his Twitter account.

“Does social amnesty mean getting the corrupt out of jail or reducing the sentence? No, on the contrary. Social amnesty means that all corrupt people go to jail without exception and pay the penalty. Corruption is breaking the amnesty.” Said.

read more: What is the “social apology” that Colombia’s presidential candidate Gustavo Pedro speaks of?